Sorry about the hiatus in responding Pete. I am laid up with a dose of quizzitis and the xmas boozolympics have kicked off in Dublin. If the worthy Ken or any other stout yeoman/woman/other would wish to take up this particular cudgel please do ...

Benny. I am in awe of your knowledge of the penny dreadfuls. You have nailed that tricky final pin (Yes of course its Sparky!!) and also identified Buster as the o-o-o. I will yield the baton to you with the willing passivity of Cuthbert Cringeworthy if you can tell me why he is unlike the other 9.

Sorry Benny 7 is not Pip although I can see the logic of your guess. In summary: 1 Leading character in Nursery rhyme PETER PIPER 2 Performer on original Band Aid single STING 3 Book of the Old Testament 4 Young male featured in several sports BALL BOY 5 Means of promoting a product PLUG 6 Nickname ...

I almost mixed them up with the Persuaders. Two Protectors as I recall were Robert Vaughn and Nyree Dawn Porter both of whom cut their teeth on earlier hit shows The Man from UNCLE and The Forsyte Saga respectively. I can't place the third one though who was a sort of a Q figure or gadget man. Two o...

That's more or less the connection Benny although comics like the Beano appeal to both boys and girls. They are all characters who had their own strip in British children's comics. You have also taken down another pin in Number 9 which is I Spy. Number 1 is not Simple Simon but is an alliterative ch...